Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Going on a family trip (first in 10 years!) and decided to go on a Chinese Bus Tour from Rome to Paris in 9 days. I figured since there's a coach bus with us the whole way, I can carry more stuff versus my previous trips where I travelled 2 lens one body.

We'll be flying into Rome, hopping on a bus heading north towards Lucerne, Switzerland and ending up in Paris. Hitting up about 8 or 9 different cities/towns.

Here's my set up:

Canon 7D
Sigma 30mm f1.4 (my fav!)
Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 (thanks bluenite05!))
Nikon 55mm f1.2
Yongnuo 468 flash
150 gigs of CF cards (roughly) plus 60-80 more on my Tablet and USB keys and SD cards

Minolta X-700 (2 bodies)
58mm f1.4
28mm f2.8 (not so sharp Image brand but okay good quality)

Lomo Diana Mini
Holga small flash with gels

Canon A570IS point and shoot (set up for B&W's)

Domke F5XZ Shoulder bag
Backpack converted with inserts.

About 12 rolls of film from 100 to 800 ISO, mostly 400's and two rolls of 100 ISO Sensia

What I didn't bring and not sure if I should:

Sigma 85mm f1.4 (it's big and heavy)
Canon Macro Tubes
580EX2
Second YongNuo 468 with Phottix Triggers
Manfrotto 055XproB (probably a horrible idea)

Minolta 35mm f2.8, 135mm f2.8, 40mm f2 pancake

More film: Still have lots of 800 ISO, and tons of sensia. Should I take more Sensia instead of 200 ISO?



Anything I should leave home? Or bring more of? Am I crazy or not crazy enough?

On day trips on a bus, don't presume you will be returning on the same bus you came on. If I'm not mistaken, in Italy the maximum time a driver can work is 10 hours. This could mean you can't leave things on the bus when you get off.

You may be a target for pickpockets in places like Rome with all these bags and cameras.

You will have to be prepared to leave some gear in coat check at certain locations (Vatican Museum, they're picky about bag size).

Just take an extended zoom P+S and spend all that photographic energy actually ENJOYING your vacation.

+1

Something to be said about enjoying the trip and not getting overly focused on taking pics. If you are with a tour, you may find that you don't have time to loiter around and "get the perfect shot" as they hustle you around pretty fast. Better to have less gear and more multi-purpose gear to get lots of "really good" shots than to have to carry lots of stuff and have to rush all the time and maybe get a couple "great" shots and lots of mediocre ones and at the same time miss lots of stuff.

This is just my opinion though... to each their own.
Also, most museums and other tourist attractions don't allow tripods, so unless you plan to sneak away at night for some night shots, I'd leave the tripod at home, or bring something small that will do the trick for those night shots of the Trevi Fountain... or you can just buy the set of 10 postcards for a euro instead

in the past I've gone with a pretty minimalist set up, 7D with 30mm f1.4 for 99% of the time or my Olympus E-510 with kit lenses (fits into a very small bag)

I haven't tried bringing more, thought might as well.

I've cut down my set up a tad, bringing one less X-700, no 55mm f1.2 and no phottix triggers.

my trip last year,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/va-photo/c ... 098885474/

7D with 30mm for the most part, some 17-70mm in there
Olympus EP-1 with 17mm 2.8 (gf's set up)

nice and light.

Even if you'll be on the bus a lot I would still go as light as possible... You will still be walking around for 2-8 hours some days and your shoulders will thank you!

When I go to the UK I take the D90, the Nikon 18-200, a Sigma 10-20 for landscapes, maybe the 70-300, and that's it. As well as keeping the load as light as possible, it makes the decision-making process easier!

Just got back from 10 days in the Caribbean. brought my backup 30D with a cheapo 18-55 and my 50 1.8, along with a Gorilla-pod and a SD750 P/S.

Took almost 1500 pictures on day trips and excursions. For me, it was about enjoyment and time spent with my family.
I didn't worry about the perfect shot or damage to my gear. Pack light and have a good time.

Good One....

Today If i go,I would go with an 18-300 ...or a 28-300 if its full frame.... and a wide angle(10-22) or a prime (nikon)

Canon 7D, 10-22 18-200
Fine line between taking pics and enjoying the vacation only the individual has to decide which is important to them.

Good luck enjoy your trip

I agree. In general I like to carry one p&s for travel.

Some great advice here.

One camera and a short zoom lens is more than enough. One P&S is even better! Vacations are much more enjoyable when your not shouldering 80lbs of gear and trying to keep it all safe.

Wow .. you crazy if you bring all that stuff! One dslr with your favourite lens (30mm 1.4) and a good quality m4/3rds or equivalent with standard and telezoom is what I would go with. Enjoy your trip!!

Depending on the trip I usually go with my D700/35 f/2. If I feel adventurous, I may bring my 70-300VR along but the kit is getting too big at that point. Vacations (unless specifically to take pictures) are for having fun with the family!

Leave the digital at home.

Know what I like about vacation? You get to walk around all day in new places with a backpack full of camera gear.

My last trip to Europe:
Digital + 3 lenses
Mamiya C330 and 3 lenses.
Tripod

Next time I'm bringing my 4x5 field camera too.

Lighter is better, especially on bus tours. I usually travel with my 7D with 24-105mm L,100mm L macro and 430ex with lots of batteries for both. They all fit into my Lowepro Omni that fits inside a Pelican 1400 case. Back up is my trusty G9 until I replace it with the Digital M.

Either way, it is still your choice in the end since you will be carrying it everywhere with you.

Enjoy your trip!

I'm back and alive!

Some after thoughts....

Yes for those thinking it's still 2-8 hours of walking......don't forget this is chinese bus tour style lol. It's going to a billion spots within a short 10-12 hour span, very rushed. I loaded out from a larger bag to a smaller bag, figuring out what i wanted to do....going light.....heavy....dual wielding film+digital....

I'm back with several thousands of photos unfortunately....but sometimes speed was essential as I was going for a bit more street style...and fun.

I still had a great time with family, and lots of fun photos. I forgot to add, my sister brought her Sony WX-1 P&S and a Fuji Instax, lots of great stuff from there as well. Also my Samsung Galaxy S2 was very handy for discrete snaps.

Only a few regrets/things i would bring diffrently:
- buy an Olympus OM-D with that Panny 12-35 f2.8, definitely my next camera if I can afford a fun to have camera...just right now my spending has been for work...
- bring two film bodies, I decided to leave my second X-700 home....but the wacky weather was changing pretty rapidly, loading 100 ISO film for the morning...then cloudy in afternoon....or vice versa
- bringing more 800 ISO film, weather forecast changed and was cloudier/rainier....some sunny moments though
- larger Domke bag. I love domke
- not do a chinese bus tour...although family felt it was okay in general for reasons of safety (tour group folks would watch out for each other)...and some spots/restaurants were doable only with a group. Lucerne Switzerland would have been uber expensive on our own and Mt Titlis was pretty awesome. Tour group was very sociable and fun, our neighbour/family friend came along with us as well.


photos to share soon!

i had the chance to borrow the gf's EP-1 with the 20mm f1.7...but I already scratched it once and I was afraid I would again....! Otherwise awesome combo for travel.

Next trip, definitely an OM-D with a weather sealed lens.

I did one of those chinese bus tours once to the States .. it was so rushed and couldn't understand a thing the tour operator was saying .. lol .. never again.

Now THAT'S crazy.
Have you travelled with an organised group before? They aren't structured for you to take great photos.
You'll have little time to stop and take great photos. You'll have to follow the tour guide with the flag/umbrella and have many people jostling you/getting in the way of your photos. You'll have to keep up with the group and the tour guide won't wait for you to stop taking photos in places that are very photo worthy. And will the group be visiting sites when the light is best?
In view of this I wouldn't want to be carrying all that heavy gear around.

for nikon, 28-300mm vr is the way to go =)